Pinellas County pet owners have new options
when it comes to pet-friendly emergency shelters.
The Pinellas
County School Board and Pinellas County government
provide these three pet-friendly shelter locations.

Oak
Grove Middle School
1370 S. Belcher Road, Clearwater

Thurgood Marshall Middle School
3901 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg

Dunedin Middle School
70 Patricia Ave., Dunedin

The facilities are
substantially-built, have large indoor gyms and
separate air handlers to ensure the comfort and
safety of allergic citizens who shelter there.

Residents must preregister
themselves and their pets for these pet-friendly
shelters, as space is limited. Mobile home
residents are given first priority.

This registration is for citizens that are classified special needs evacuees and are already registered with their local fire department and have a pet which they need help evacuating. They should call Pinellas County Animal Services at (727) 582-2600 to register pets for pick-up or fill out the form and send to Animal Services at the above address. The Fire Station that is closest to them will be the one that evacuates them in an emergency. For more information they can call their local Fire Department or Emergency Management at (727) 464-3800. If they have not done so yet, they must do so in order to register for PCAS pickup.

Other Shelter Options:

Animal shelters, such as Pinellas County Animal
Services, the Humane Society and the SPCA, cannot
accept your pets.

Also don’t assume that a boarding kennel or hotel/motel
will accept your pet. Check ahead and look for
kennels in non-evacuation zones. For pet-friendly
hotels/motels call the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors
Bureau at (727) 464-7200 or during an evacuation go to www.visitstpeteclearwater.com

Plan for your pet well in advance if you live
in an evacuation area.
Write down your plan or create a check list.

Take your pet when you evacuate.

Know your
evacuation route and
when you will evacuate.

Ask friends or family living outside of evacuation
areas if they can keep
your pet.

Make sure you have a collar and leash for keeping your pet under control.

Keep a pet carrier (portable kennel) for each
pet – one that allows your pet to stand
and turn around. The carrier should be marked
with your pet’s identification.

Make sure all your pet’s vaccinations
are current and have proof available of its current
county-issued rabies vaccination.

Pack supplies for your pet including current
veterinary records, a two-week
supply of food and water, medications with instructions,
bowls, favorite toy and blanket, cat litter/pan,
plastic bags, collar/leash, disinfectants to
handle pet wastes and a current photo of you
with your pet.

If
you must use a kennel as a last resort, make
sure it is not in an evacuation zone and reserve
space as soon as possible. Kennels
require proof of vaccinations.

Make sure your pet has proper identification
with either a collar tag or a microchip implant.
Have proof of current county-issued rabies vaccination
available. A license is your pet’s ticket
home. Download a Pet Identification Form here. Fill out this form and adhere
to your pet carrier
or kennel. This form will contain all needed
information about your pet for
your stay at Pinellas County pet-friendly shelters.

After A Storm:

Walk pets on a leash until they become re-oriented
to their home. Often, familiar scents and landmarks
may be altered and pets could easily be confused
and become lost.

Reptiles brought in with flood water and debris
can pose a threat for animals after a disaster.

Bring along a picture of your pet for identification.

After the disaster, animals can become aggressive
or defensive. Monitor their behavior.

Post-Disaster Animal Collection
Temporary Collection Sites:

After a storm, stray animals will be collected and staged at temporary collection sites prior to transfer to more permanent shelters. The location of these collection sites will be determined based on prevailing conditions. Every effort will be made to inform the public of these locations so that animals can be returned to their owners as quickly as possible.

Once the site(s) have been determined you should look for your pet(s) at the location nearest your home and where you last saw your pet. To report a lost pet, call Pinellas County Animal Services at (727) 582-2600.